NavVis Proud: Miriam (she/her) on inclusive language in the workplace

NavVis is built upon inclusive, diverse foundations. We believe that every living creature is worthy of respect. Therefore, it's important for us to give a voice to our team and live up to our values.

As a company that appreciates all individuals, we also acknowledge that we do not have all the answers. This month is an occasion to raise awareness, spread positivity, and share our platform with people from all kinds of backgrounds. Having said that, it was a priority for us to create a space where people could share their insights.

Without further ado, today's resource is shared by Miriam. She is a People Business Partner and passionate member of the DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Community at NavVis.

In today’s blog post, she would like to share two articles with you: Why sharing gender pronouns in the workplace matters (English) and Drittes Geschlecht in der Sprache (Deutsch).

Why did you choose to share these articles?

In order to reach an inclusive and welcoming work environment, it’s important for all of us to communicate consciously and inclusively. My dear co-worker often uses the phrase “words create worlds” and I could not agree more.

One phrase I often think about in this context is “language is power.” We should all be conscious of language, mainly when and how we use it. The usage of gender pronouns is a topic that I think deserves more attention and education and I hope that people find it useful in our day-to-day lives.

What should someone reading this take away from this source?

Gender pronouns are words that an individual would like others to use when talking to or about them. People who are transgender, nonbinary, or gender nonconforming may choose to use pronouns that don’t conform to binary (male/female) categories.

And now, what can you do to start enacting change?

• Be open-minded about gender pronouns.
• Engage in dialogue with others who are open to sharing more
• Add your pronouns to your Linkedin profile, e-mail signature, or other communication channels
• Be an ally to the community

Where can someone go to learn more?

There is a lot you can learn about the LGBTQ+ community. If you want to learn more, start with the 2 above-mentioned articles and commit to continuously learning, unlearning, and making an effort to use inclusive language whenever you can.

Wrapping up

As we go through the different testimonies, stories, and shared knowledge of our advocates, we realize that there is so much more information that should be shouted out to the world. As a company, we will continue to give a voice to those who can teach us in our next posts. We are in an era of change, so stay tuned to change with us!